Swimming pool cleaning system



Sept. 2, 1969 a. T. WHITAKER SWIMMING POOL CLEANING SYSTEM 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1967 BRAC/(STOL/ ATTORNEYS p 2, 1969 B. T.WHITAKER 3,464,068

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING SYSTEM Filed May 2, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 7 5 4mvsmon v Ema/(5mm Wh/TA/(ER BY 58 & 5mm

ATTORN E Y3 p 2, 1969 B. T. \'NHI TAKER 3,464,068

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING SYSTEM Filed May 2, 1967 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 226 6216 MAIN DRAIN 6 SKIMMER TO RETURN EXTEND INVENTOR Ewe/(5 TON T Wm 74 kmBY 5% & gemmee ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1969 a. T. WHITAKER SWIMMING POOLCLEANING SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 2, 1967 INVENTOR BRA c/ srouM h/TAAER BY 5211112125 &

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,464,068 SWIMMING POOL CLEANING SYSTEMBrackston T. Whitaker, 1220 S. Alvernon Way, Tucson, Ariz. 85711 FiledMay 2, 1967, Ser. No. 635,444 Int. Cl. E04h 3/20; B08b 9/08 US. Cl.4--172 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An hydraulically operatedswimming pool cleaning CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Theinvention is closely related to my extant Patent 3,278,949, dated Oct.18, 1966 and entitled Swimming Pool Cleaning Apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention, whilespecifically defined in terms of swimming pools, clearly applies to anyreservoir closure system containing water or other fluids.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Known prior art does not includeextensible-retractible means permanently set for installation within thepool as Patented Sept. 2, 1969 "ice ing elements shown in FIGURES 1 and2 respectively;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the principal elements shown in FIGURE 3and including means for disassembly thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a view showing the extended position of the cleaning elementof FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the same being amplified over the FIGURES 1 and 2showings;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of valve used in connection with theinvention and shown schematically in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 77 of FIGURE6;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of pool bottom indicating the installationof whip housing and showing the whip in extended position.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of the elements of FIG- 1 URE 8 expandedthereover and showing one whip a portion thereof. In this overallsystem, a unique suction and return valve are included to ensureextension and retraction of unique whips, somewhat along the lines ofthose shown in my prior Patent 3,278,949, above-mentioned. In thisinstance,nonetheless, improvements thereover result in an improvedoverall operating system including mode of installation and control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION counteraction of another, while the respectivewhips are extended in cleaning position.

Additionally, unique means are provided for maintenance and repair andfor the control of the cleaning element during and following operationthereof.

The objectives of invention include means for eliminating the vacuumingof swimming pools and brushing thereof in maintenance cleaningoperations. Further, to reduce the amount of sanitizing agent requiredto maintain the pool and to eliminate calcium buildup on pool finish.These and other objectives such as facile installa tion, reliance upon alow pressure system, reduction in chemical media used for cleaning;improved circulation of water and chemicals will be apparent fromreference to the ensuing description and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a horizontal section view of pool installation showing thecleaning elements in extended and operative relation;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of pool shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of housing and retracted cleaning element,expanded over the one or more cleanconduit in retracted position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The broad concept of a vacuumeliminating automatic cleaning system is shown in FIGURE 1. In thisshowing, the pool comprises side walls and end walls 110 in which areinstalled plural tubes which are of flexible construction, preferablymade of a dial plastic and engineered into the pools sides automaticallyto extend out into the pool as shown. Jet streams of filtered water flowfrom the tubes and as they thus gently whip, dirt and sediment areforced into the pools main drain, shown as unnumbered in FIGURES 1 and2, whereupon the dirt and sediment passes to the pool filter. Uponproper operation of the valve 200, the tubes are caused to automaticallyretract from the pool and disappear out of sight and touch, as will behereinafter indicated. By the intended extended action of the whips,there is a scouring and polishing, eliminating calcium build-up andalgae formations.

With especial reference to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, the wall 110 isgenerally provided with a plaster 112 and base concrete liner 114 inwhich a bore has been formed to accommodate the housing 122, saidhousing 122 terminating in tubular anchor member 124, said anchor memberhaving threaded portion to accommodate the extended whip seat 126. Acorresponding whip conduit retraction seat 126 being held into positionby the corresponding coupling or union member 124. In FIG- URE 3, thewhip is shown with its intake end seated on the terminal seat 126, thechannel of the whip corresponding axially with the slightly enlargedorifice of the seat 126 as shown.

Now, with reference to FIGURE 4, the exhaust seat 126 of the whiphousing is removable by key 128, the same being a blank inconfiguration, adapted to engage corresponding grooves as indicated forde-threaded removal. The key slot is shown to extend transversely acrossthe face of the terminal abutment 126 indicating facile removal of thewhip abutment 126 for purposes of cleaning or otherwise exchanging thetubular whip 130.

With especial reference, now, to the valvular means of control, it hasbeen indicated that the system is hydraulically operated by means of aflow of water through two actuating valves, said valves beingillustrated in FIGURE 6 and more particularly by detail in FIGURE 7.These values 210 and 220 respectively include tubular members 212 and222, each having common hydraulic connection to the conductor 230, saidconductor being connected to the whip housings. Additionally, theconductors 212 and 222 respectively have interconnection at 214 to thefilter and at 224 to the pump, as shown, At their lower extensions 216and 226, respectively, the valve systems are connected to the Returngenerally indicated by the lower arrow extending from right to left inFIGURE 1 and the orifice 226 having connection with main drain andskimmer generally indicated schematically in FIG- URE 1 by the arrowpassing from left to right. See the control fiow arrows disposedrespectively in the conductors 216 and 226. By way of operation, toretract the tubes 130 into the position shown in FIGURE 3, one simplyturns the Return control valve 218 to the Retract position. That is theposition shown in phantom line in FIGURE 7. Simultaneously the suctioncontrol valve 220 must be turned to the Retract position until the tubeshave been completely retracted from the pool into the position shown inFIGURE 3-reference phantom lines shown in FIGURE 7 indicating theRetract position of the valve 220. Sequentially and upon retraction ofsaid whips, the suction control valve 228 is rotated to the Run or openposition, indicated.

To extend the tubes 130, the Return control valve 210 is rotated to theExtend positions shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7 while the suction controlvalve 220 is in the Run position, shown also in FIGURES 6 and 7. Byhydraulic ram action on the terminus 134 of the tube 130, the tubes areeach fully extended and in practice, with the tubes fully extended, thereturn valve 210 may be adjusted slightly to get the desired whippingaction on the tubes, per se. For example, the more water that isreturned through the tubes 130 (the greater the hydraulic pressure), thefaster the action of the tubes and the more cleaning and scouring actionon the walls of the swimming pool per se. On the other hand, as thewater pressure is decreased on the tubes, the slower will be the actionof the tubes and the more the cleaning action on the floor and towardsthe center of the swimming pool. Thus, the action of the tubes may becontrolled through the adjustment position on the return control valve210, which said valve is sensitive in controlling tube action.

With reference now to FIGURES 8 and 9, it will be noted that the housing110 is of curvilinear configuration from the respective terminal anchors124 and 124'. This particular installation illustration may be adaptedto either sloping or level floor construction and is know as a throughfloor whip housing. The illustration is such as to show the necessityfor a curvilinear configuration being applied to the whip housing toensure that the retracted whip of FIGURE 9 may be readily extendedwithout binding to the position shown in FIGURE 8. In practice, thecurve applied to the housing for a sixteen foot tubular whip 130 is on a9" radius from the axis of ejector coupling 126, to the shown.

With these and the aforementioned installation details in mind, thespirit of the invention is limited by the scope of the claims only.

I claim:

1. In the hydraulic cleaning of fluid reservoirs, said reservoirs havingwalls, bottom and a fluid circulating system; comprising in sequence adrain line, pump, filter and return line:

4 (A) plural extensible and retractible flexible conduit means removablyhoused in the walls of the reservoir; (B) each said conduit means havinga pressure responsive head fixed to one end thereof responsive to theflow of fluid through said condit means, to extend and retract saidconduit means into and out of the fluid reservoir, depending upon thedirection of fluid flow through said conduit means, and, being disposedfor submersible fluid ejecting, interruption contact with the other,whereby substantially all walls of said reservoir may be scoured and thefluid content thereof agitated; (C) each conduit means being secured inhousing, the

outer end of each housing defining a seat for restrictive extension ofthe conduit means, the inner end of each housing defining a seat forstorage retraction of the conduit means; and (D) a dual valvular controlfor the conduit means, interposed between the drain line and returnline, consisting of first and second actuating valves having commonhydraulic connection to a conductor p0sitioned therebetween, saidconductor being openly connected to said conduit means, said first valvebeing disposed in said return line and having a first positionconnecting said filter to said conductor and a second positionconnecting said filter with said return line, said second valve beingdisposed in said drain line and having a first position connecting saiddrain line to said pump and a second position connecting said conductorto said pump, the conduit means thereby being extended when said valvesare in their respective first positions and retracted when said valvesare in their respective second positions. 2. The system according toclaim 1 wherein said valves have intermediate positions between theirfirst and second positionsto vary the hydraulic pressure whereby tocontrol the extension limit and degree of agitation of the conduitmeans.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,332,940 10/1943 Senke 15-1.7

2,752,195 6/1956 Whitehead 239229 XR 2,979,733 4/1961 Saint Clair et al.4-172 3,217,886 11/1965 Ruston 210-169 3,278,949 10/1966 Whitaker 4172FOREIGN PATENTS 1,087,901 3/ 1955 France.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner JOSEPH T. ZATARGA, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

